orchestrion
by tekina fiction
Summary: Sixteen snapshots that were written to sixteen songs.
Copyright _(All works are the property of their original creator. This is merely fan-made work created for entertainment purposes, and I don't own any of the content except the plots I create.)_

* * *

 _1._

"Silver."

Her voice was like a ghost that fateful night. Vision still bleary, Silver rubs his dandelion eyes before sitting upwards. Standing from the open window frame is none other than Blaze the Cat.

"Huh? Blaze?" Still laden with rest, Silver yawns. "What are you-"

"Come on." She nearly screamed. One of the kit's feet was inches from the open window, raring to go. Jump into freedom. "What are you waiting for?"

The realization snaps Silver awake, immediately the young boy grasps Blaze's hand as she leads him, and they were bursting out the window, tumbling out his bedroom in a wisteria-ivory blur. And now they're running, knowing that they're leaving everything behind, knowing that _he_ is poised to attack them, but they can't help themselves.

They just have enough to escape from the castle before the first mine explodes.

* * *

 _2._

"Please tell me you're joking." Gardon sighed.

Blaze looked at the Kalari uniform she had adorned. What was the problem with it? It helped with training, it would prepare her to protect the Emeralds. It did not snag like her purple coat. It did not tear so pathetically, like her shawl. A uniform did not require heels-it let her claws go free and she could _puncture_ her enemies with it.

The Guardian fingered the urumi sword she was practicing with. Well, until an anxious Gardon interrupted.

"I'm not joking. This is how a Princess should act," Blaze replied, cold and curt. "Serving her people."

"But it's not royal to wear commoner's clothes-"

She turned away and assumed a yoga-like stance, holding up her sword. "People are people. Not how we were taught to treat them."

* * *

 _3._

"Hold still! I can't color you if you keep moving."

Nicole's lips trembled as Sally rubbed the magenta powder on her cheeks-it was merely extracts of flowers and leaves, but there was still something more. It felt real. She felt real. (Not like a program stuck in a shell, but like a grown woman learning how to walk again.) This holiday was called 'Holi'. It was to welcome spring, to welcome the season of colors, and to paint others with all kinds of lime greens and blues.

Sally was wonderful. Sacrificing her time just for Nicole. Dancing with her in a flurry of rainbows: water, music, lights, everything was so full of life. Truly, it was not how she was made that determined her life. It was how she lived.

But Nicole decided life was better with the girl that loved her more than anything.

* * *

 _4._

He screamed. Sonic crashed to the ground and tumbled. Pain. Rolling endlessly over and over, until his skull rammed against debris. White flashed before his eyes and the world is rippling and blurring out. When was the last time he felt this much pain?

"Help me." Someone whimpered. Then they screamed, a long cry that never breaks for breath. It's not until Sonic choked for air that he realized that voice is his _own._ "Help me." Nothing. Can't he feel anything? "Help me..."

Eggman slithered over to the broken, trembling body of Sonic the Hedgehog.

"How unfortunate you don't have a hero to save you."

* * *

 _5._

A rose. Amy fingered the violet bloom, transfixed by Sonic's gift.

Well, Sonic had always been drawn to her. More than Amy wanted. Winking, wrapping an arm, and the occasional glomp; flirty things she easily shoved off. But now...he matured. That was good. The kid was finally growing up. Several days before the cobalt teen actually listened to her request of flanking Eggman. Oh, sure, Sonic sometimes pecked her hand, but it was polite. Mannered.

Now Sonic had granted her space, and Amy had to admit the gift was quite sweet. _Sweet._ The heat crept up her cheeks before she could stop it. Choking back a scream, Amy stuffed the bloom in her pocket.

 _No chance. No way._

* * *

 _6._

 _._

Blaze rests in Silver's arms, in a peaceful sleep. One she'll never awaken from. His tears drip upon her face, sobbing.

Not again. Why couldn't he save her? How many times had Silver seen this _over and over?_

Screaming, the boy thrusts his Chaos Emerald to the heavens above. Maybe...just this once...

 _._

The winds howl at Silver to go away. He stands on a cliff, watching the world below. Living. Blaze flourishes. Just like before. All over again. Silver leaps to below, his eyes empty.

Nothing has changed.

* * *

 _7._

There's more than one kind of love.

Whether it be a scrawny hedgehog-desperate for adventure and action-to sacrifice his time and energy just to help out a lost fox. Lost because everyone else ignored him, except for Sonic. The kit's name was Tails. And that's how it all began.

Or it could be a rookie for a makeshift resistance. He had died every day just trying to get his friend back. He knew this was not him. His name was not 'Infinite'. And he would die trying to save him.

* * *

 _8._

"Mama, I'll be home soon, promise."

Oh, how Cream wishes she could rewind time all over again. The forest paths blur into a labyrinth of branches and ivies. Left is right. Right is left. The only living thing in this graveyard of woods is Cheese, who quivers at Cream's shoulders.

"Oh, what to do?" Her feet linger at an ebony oak, before wandering off to a birch. "What to do, what to do?"

Suddenly Cheese glances up. "Chao!" She can hear the smile in his voice.

Turning around, light returns to Cream's world. A house wreathed in-No, _made_ of sweets unimaginable. Cookies and candy canes and gingerbread alike. Without thinking, Cream and Cheese burst for the gingerbread house. But neither of notice the mechanical circuitry beneath the walls.

Not far away, Eggman laughed to himself. It had gone perfectly.

* * *

 _9._

Shadow tackled Sonic and sent them tumbling to the ground in a flurry of black and blue. They finally made it to the bottom, limbs in a tangled heap. After much pushing and shoving, Shadow pinned his rival against the cool, sweet grass. Sonic let out a yelp as Shadow grasped his wrists.

"Where's the Emerald?" He hissed.

Sonic smirked, chuckled, and succumbed to a fit of laughter. "It's not here! I left it behind! And you _fell for it!"_

His rival's eyes turned to slits and his hold on Sonic's wrists slackened. The latter giggled, his breath brushed against Shadow's lips.

It was then he realized how close they were.

Their cheeks put roses to shame.

* * *

 _10._

"Tell me, what is your greatest wish?"

Amy Rose did not give a second thought. "I wish..."

.

Sonic had not heard of Amy for days. He lifted the corners of the universe, scavenging through every street of Station Square to find her. When there was no result, he ran to other cities around the world. Empire City. Spagonia. He was more twitchy, more insane the longer she had vanished.

Finally, he burst into the gardens near her home. Moss ate away at the stones. Nobody bothered to come here, anymore. There, sitting in an ocean of wilted roses, was Amy herself.

"Finally," He cries. "I found you."

But she was silent. Sonic seats himself beside her.

"How long are you going to keep up this stubborn thing, huh? I... I was worried about you."

To his surprise, she laughs. Brokenly. Empty. She reaches out her hand, just enough so Sonic can the see the bomb ticking away at her wrist. Engraved with Robotnik's mark.

"I got my wish." She smiles.

"Amy," Sonic shakes her shoulders, tears pooling in his eyes. Faster. Faster. "No, please, no."

"...Just in time, as well."

 _Tick._

* * *

 _11._

 _"Ha! I'm the fastest thing in the universe!"_

Once the signal had been sent to Wave, The rush of Sonic's board had died. The explosion was a gorgeous melody in his ears. Jet smirked and broke through the finish line in one breath, waving and roaring back at the crowd. Savoring his victory. His smile died when he realized the crowd wasn't booing for Sonic's pathetic loss but towards him.

"What?" He cried. "What's going on?!"

Jet whirled to face Sonic, broken on the ground. His heart stopped. Tears were brimming the blue hero's eyes, and for the first time, Jet recoiled at the glare of pure hatred shot for him.

Sonic tried to stand but collapsed. He can't. He couldn't. "You," He growled. "How could you?"

The unnatural angle of the hedgehog's leg. The seething and hissing of the crowd. Jet's world turned cold and the hawk could only observe the horror he had caused. He had finally taken away Sonic's speed. His running.

He won.

* * *

 _12._

Sonic shifted in his binder. It wasn't that long ago he didn't have a choice, he couldn't find any binders, just bondage. It hurt his chest; it left _scars._ It suffocated him, lying through his teeth and faking through what he was, who he was, letting the jokes just _pass by._ Not anymore.

Amy and Tails soon knew about him.

When Sonic came out, he thought, what would they say? He thought, what would happen? But it was okay. Amy hugged him, saying over and over: "It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. I like you just the way you are." It was going to be okay, and he would make it okay. There were so many people that hated him for how he was born. Afraid of what they didn't understand.

The fastest thing alive bit his lip. Tails grabbed his hand.

"Just hold my hand. Don't look at that crowd."

 _It'll get better. We'll make it better._

* * *

 _13._

"What are you doing?"

Once upon a time, years ago, a young Silver reached out his hands for Princess Blaze. But the kit only stared at his open palm, her cape hiding her hands, her flames.

Silver cocked his head. "It's a sign of friendship, right?"

 _Friends._ Nearly choking, Blaze staggered back and looked away. Never would she go there. He would leave her. He would use her for his own reasons. She would rather turn to stone.

"...I don't do that. I have to stay away from people."

* * *

 _14._

"Time to say goodbye, Princess."

The icicles were inches away from grazing her eyes as she, the Queen, the reason why everything was _ruined,_ pinned Blaze on the ground.

 _No._ The Guardian's training kicked in. _Not today._

Blaze clutched her rival's wrists and lit up her fingers, the heat burning through the Queen's fur as she twisted the _crap_ out of them. She howled and lurched back. Blaze lifted her right leg and thrust her hips and her assailant was flung off, her palms burned through the gloves. Raw flesh seethed through the torn gloves.

Before the cryokinetic could stand on her feet, she was slammed on the floor and her wrist was locked in a vice grip.

"... I'm... " Blaze ignited her palms. "... not _done yet."_

* * *

 _15._

There was nothing to say.

The princess of the other dimension had offered to dance with her.

And all the words had been sucked out of Gold's mouth.

She was so nervous, so worried. What if she would trip on her sari? What if she would intrude Blaze's thoughts without realizing it? What if... what if... but the fears dissipated. There was something beautiful as they swayed together to the music, fingers entwined. Blaze hummed along to the music, her face more serene than anyone could ever imagine.

 _I'm a goner._

For once, Gold let herself fall.

* * *

 _16._

"Shadow, look at this."

He does, gazing through the window at the planet called 'Earth'. It's nothing really. A planetoid of blue and green, swirling about in the nothingness of space. To think, of all places, there would be life. Why there? Why here of all places?

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

He mirthlessly smiles. "Why must you look below at such a place? We can't go down there."

"Yeah, we are! When I get better, Grandpa and I are gonna live down there. I'll be able to go school, go to college, become a scientist as every Robotnik before I was. I can pick a degree that'll help me find cures for all kinds of diseases. Imagine it: Cancer, cystic fibrosis- _gone. I know I can do it._ I completed a college-level course Grandpa gave me. I can make the cut."

"Is that why you were reading in your room all week?"

Maria eagerly nods, "You should join me."

"I guess-"

"No-not reading. On Earth. We'll let you in our house on Earth."

He falls silent, red eyes wide in awe, "... Really?"

"I've got all the legal stuff planned out. Don't worry."

Shadow leans against his sister and smiles.

"... I'd like that."


End file.
